Obama Congratulates U.S. Team For World Cup Performance

President Barack Obama on Wednesday called Clint Dempsey and Tim Howard to congratulate them on the U.S. Men’s National Team’s World Cup performance, the day after a spirited 2-1 loss to Belgium.

Mr. Obama “commended them not only for their work on the field, but for carrying themselves in a way that made the country proud,” the White House said.

Mr. Howard, the team’s goaltender, finished the game with 16 saves, the most on record for a World Cup game. Team captain Dempsey nearly tied the game toward the end of extra time, firing a shot into the Belgian keeper’s stomach.

The president called the team’s performance “captivating,” the White House said. Mr. Obama watched part of the game at the White House on Tuesday.

Earlier, White House spokesman Josh Earnest said the team’s run to the round of 16 may inspire the next generation of U.S. soccer players.

“It’s not too hard to imagine that maybe in 2030, for example, there might be a U.S. men’s national soccer team that comes to the White House to celebrate an achievement of some kind,” Mr. Earnest said. “And I suspect that when you’re talking to those players, that they may harken back to being eight or 10 or 12-years old and having watched the 2014 men’s national team and that they’ll remember the performance of people like Tim Howard and Julian Green and Omar Gonzalez and Graham Zusi.”

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